Work Text:
In Phoenix’s life, there have been … far more than a normal amount of times that have forced him to think: How did I end up here?
This is one of those times.
He’s sitting in his office at his desk, with Larry to his left and Edgeworth across from him.
They have been drinking.
They are now playing drinking games.
None of them are drunk, although Larry is well on his way there. Phoenix has a slight buzz going and the long-lasting and very flattering flush on Edgeworth’s cheeks shows that he’s in much the same boat.
He can’t believe the prosecutor agreed to this; that he let his guard down enough to have yet another beer in Phoenix’s dingy little office and is now pondering his next admission with a look of intense concentration.
“Never have I ever gotten a tattoo,” he says, settling back a little in his chair. It squeaks and his lips go thin in annoyance.
Phoenix manages to hold back a laugh. Neither he, nor Larry, take a drink and the look of annoyance on Edgeworth’s face only grows more severe.
“Sorry, Edgey-boy,” Larry says with a grin. “No ink here.”
“Me neither,” Phoenix says with a shrug.
“It was worth a shot,” Edgeworth mumbles.
“My turn,” Phoenix announces before humming thoughtfully. “Never have I ever been to an orchestra concert.”
Miles glares a quick dagger at him and takes a drink, Larry does too and immediately points an accusing finger at Phoenix. “I call bullshit.”
“I haven’t!”
“Have too! Eighth grade field trip. We saw the L.A. Philharmonic do the-the space music. About the planets!”
“I was out sick, couldn’t go,” Phoenix shrugs. “I had a bad fever that whole week actually.”
“No, you went. I stole gum from your pocket and got in trouble for cracking it too loud,” Larry protests.
“I really didn’t.”
“Alright, give him the magic rock,” Larry insists, jerking his head towards Edgeworth.
Phoenix sighs and slides the magatama across the desk and tries not to jolt too much when Edgeworths’ fingers brush his ever so slightly.
This is probably not the way that the magatama is meant to be used. Phoenix very nearly feels bad for it and had put up the token protests, but then he thought about telling Maya that he, Larry and Edgeworth had used it as a validation technique for a tipsy game of ‘never have I ever’ and how she’d probably laugh her ass off at the idea, demanding to know the juiciest secrets they all spilled and decided to go ahead and let it slide.
Edgeworth takes the stone and holds it in his hand. “Go on then.”
“I have never been to an orchestra performance,” Phoenix states, plainly.
“He’s telling the truth,” Edgeworth declares. “No psycholocks appeared.”
“Psyche-locks,” Phoenix automatically corrects, unable to keep the fond smile from his face.
“Huh,” Larry interrupts. “Wonder who I stole the gum from?”
“Probably some other poor, unsuspecting classmate,” Phoenix teases.
“I see that your proclivity for theft followed you through school then?” Edgeworth asks.
“Edgey, I’m wounded,” Larry says with mock offense, pressing a hand to his chest. “Also, never have I ever rode on a train.”
Phoenix and Edgeworth both groan and take a drink.
“Really?” Larry asks, looking at Phoenix. “I thought you were a bus or bike sort of guy?”
“It was in Europe,” Phoenix answers.
“They are much more common over there,” Edgeworth nods.
They play a few more rounds and eventually, due to Larry, of course, the questions take on a more embarrassing turn.
“Never have I ever kissed a man,” he smirks.
With a breath to steel himself, Phoenix takes a drink. Across the table, Edgeworth does as well. Phoenix is absolutely not going to ponder those implications while drunk … or at least not while Edgeworth is here.
“Never have I ever kissed a woman,” Edgeworth says, smirking at Larry right back.
Phoenix and Larry take a drink.
“Never have I ever dated more than one person at a time,” Phoenix offers.
Larry drinks.
“Never have I ever dated triplets,” Larry says.
No one drinks.
There’s a pause when it’s Edgeworth’s turn, something about his behavior seems off. Phoenix, once again in possession of the magatama, thumbs it idly and notices Edgeworth’s gaze landing on it.
“Never have I ever … been on a date,” he eventually chokes out and the oddest thing happens.
A psyche-lock appears … almost. It’s faint and there are almost translucent chains just barely holding it on. It’s almost like Edgeworth isn’t sure if he’s lying or not.
Eyebrows furrowed, Phoenix takes a drink and the lock solidifies. Larry drinks too.
“You’ve really never been on a date, Edgeworth?” Phoenix asks, somewhere between incredulous and suspicious.
The lock vanishes.
“No, it doesn’t appear that I have,” he answers shortly.
“Oh man,” Larry says with sympathy. “We have got to find you a dude to treat you right.”
Edgeworth hums, carefully not looking at either of them.
Phoenix is flabbergasted. “Y-yeah, you should go. Sometime. On a date.”
“Quite.”
The mood has noticeably shifted. “Well, I think that’s enough for tonight,” Phoenix says, trying for light and missing by a mile. He sounds vaguely strangled.
“Ugh, good,” Larry groans, slumping in his chair. “I’m out of questions anyway. M’ all fuzzy and can’t think.”
“Are you good to call a cab?” Phoenix asks, concerned as Larry stumbles up from the chair and makes his way, loose-limbed, to the door.
“Yup, I’m gonna go over to Marla’s house anyhow,” he says with a wink. “She’s gonna show me her latest shots from her modeling gig.”
Phoenix nods as he starts to pick up bottles and pointedly doesn’t look at Edgeworth. He doesn’t know where Larry finds these girls. “Alright, text me when you get there so I know you’re okay, alright?”
“Okie dokie!” Larry says with a salute and then he’s gone.
There are only so many bottles to clean up and there is still one, very present Edgeworth that Phoenix has no idea what to say to.
But, the combination of his buzz and his ingrained desire to know the truth makes him eventually blurt, “So, what was that?”
Edgeworth groans, hides his face in his hands and mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like: “Damn that rock.”
“You continue to surprise me,” Phoenix continues, coming around to sit at the desk again. His heart is pounding in his throat. “I’ve never seen it do what it did tonight.”
“And what might that be?” Edgeworth says dryly, finally looking up to meet Phoenix’s eyes. He looks tired and worn out, Phoenix sympathises.
For the sake of both of them, he doesn’t beat around the bush.
“Well, at first the lock wasn’t there? Not the whole way, anyway. Just kind of faint and thin, like you weren’t sure that you were lying. Then I drank and it got more solid. And when I asked if you really hadn’t been on a date and it vanished, just like that,” he says with a snap of his fingers. “You didn’t even have to answer the question. It just flickered away.”
Edgeworth sighs.
“You know you can tell me anything, right? God, you’ve seen me through more than I care to admit. A little relationship talk won’t hurt us,” Phoenix bravely offers, but ...
Now Phoenix is lying. He’s absolutely not willing to sit here and listen to Miles talk about his not-dates with a man that he’s apparently kissed. But, he’s going to anyway. He suddenly wishes he had drank more.
“When I had … first asked the question I had been …” Edgeworth speaks haltingly, considering his words. “Unsure if several … outings I had been on in the past counted as dates or not.”
“Okay,” Phoenix says slowly. “And how did me asking you that question confirm that they weren’t?”
Edgeworth looks to the side and grips at his elbow in a self-comfort gesture that Phoenix is all too familiar with. “Because, those outings had been with you,” he eventually admits.
A slap to the face would have been less shocking.
“Me?” Phoenix asks, pointing at his chest. “When did we, when did you? Have we dated?”
Edgeworth huffs a self-deprecating laugh. “Clearly we haven’t. Just … a few of the times we would go out in Europe. Those museum trips and outdoor concerts, those sorts of things,” Edgeworth admits to the surface of the desk.
“Wow,” Phoenix says, staring at the top of Edgeworth’s head. He remembers all of those instances. Some with Trucy, some with just the two of them. Each had been incredibly fun and each had filled him with a longing for something more, wishing that they were doing those things as a proper family … as two people in love.
“You know,” he eventually continues. “I … sort of always wanted them to be.”
Across the desk Edgeworth’s head jerks up. “What?”
The sudden scrutiny makes heat rise up his neck. Phoenix idly rubs the back of it. “Well, I mean, yeah. If I could count the times I wanted to take your hand walking down through those street fairs or at those art shows, I’d be counting for a really long time.”
“You’re serious?” Edgeworth asks for confirmation.
“Of course I am, Miles, god … I’ve been crazy for you pretty much since day one.”
Edgeworth barks a laugh before bringing a hand to cover his mouth. “My god, you idiot.”
The way he’s talking makes Phoenix wonder exactly how much the booze is affecting him. But, in reality he doesn’t care because the light, bright happiness that’s filling him slowly from the inside is overpowering all other thoughts.
“Me? You’re the one out here making the magatama do new tricks with your uncertainty,” Phoenix says with a smile.
“I’ve got to keep you on your toes, don’t I?” Edgeworth counters with the beginnings of a small smile of his own.
Phoenix is so doomed.
“You always do.”
Edgeworth hums. “I suppose it’s only fitting that I admit it’s been the same for me as well. Though it took me a bit longer to realize, I’m afraid.”
“That so?”
“Yes, around the time of The Trial.”
Phoenix can hear the capital letters. He knows Edgeworth is referring to the re-opening of the DL-6 incident and gives a nod that he understands.
“So, did you enjoy our not-date dates then?” Phoenix says, hoping to turn the conversation around.
“I did. Though now that I know what we both wanted I’m feeling the irrational urge to whisk you away to Europe again,” Edgeworth admits, a flush rising to his face.
“So a confession is what it took to bring out your inner romantic?”
“I’ve chartered flights for you at a moment's notice before, lest we forget.”
Phoenix groans. “Holy shit, how did we not realize? But also, I don’t think we need to go that extreme right off the bat. I’d settle for finally seeing a symphony,” he says, clearly fishing.
Edgeworth’s expression melts into fondness. Fondness that Phoenix put there. He’s utterly thrilled to have done so and is rapidly making plans to make sure to put it there again and again.
“Well then, it’s a date.”
Phoenix couldn’t stop his grin if he tried. “It damn well better be.”